With some services, being able to pause a subscription is a feature of its own, separate from cancelling. Instead of ending the contract completely, you stop the charges for a set period and keep your account, including your saved settings, in the background. Especially when you only need a break from a service for a while, for example while you are travelling or during a quieter phase, this can be a better choice than cancelling completely and then signing up again.

Not every provider offers this option, and where it does exist, the rules can differ considerably. How long a pause can last, how often you can use it and what happens to your access in the meantime is usually set out in the account settings or the terms of the service in question.

What "pausing" a subscription means technically

When you pause, the provider stops the next charge without ending the contract as a whole. Your account stays in place, but usually loses access to the service's actual features during the pause. Once the chosen period is over, the subscription automatically carries on and the charges start again, usually without you having to sign up again.

When pausing is a real alternative to cancelling

A pause is mainly worth it if you can already see that you will need the service again after a while, and if you care about not losing your settings, history or collected perks in the meantime. With a full cancellation, by contrast, there is a risk that an account is deleted entirely after a longer period, or that signing up again later comes with different, possibly worse terms than the ones you had before.

Worked example: what a pause actually saves

Say a subscription costs 11.99 euros a month. If you pause it for three months instead of letting it run, you save 35.97 euros over that time compared with the normal charges. If you cancelled completely instead and took the service out again after three months, the amount itself would be the same, as long as the price does not change in the meantime. The difference then lies not in the price, but in whether signing up again keeps your previous settings, collected perks or an introductory rate you used before.

What happens to your data and perks during the pause

• With most services, saved settings and history are kept in full during a pause.
• Perks collected through a loyalty programme simply keep counting during the pause with some providers, while with others the count is suspended for that period.
• An introductory rate you used before is not automatically guaranteed after a pause if the subscription then continues at the regular price.

Which of these rules applies in a particular case is usually set out in the provider's terms or directly in the account settings where you can switch on the pause.

How to set up a pause in practice

The feature is usually found in the account settings, often under an item such as "Manage subscription" or "Membership", not directly on the service's home page. From there, you usually choose a period from a set list, such as one, two or three months, rather than entering any date you like. After you confirm, you usually receive a message confirming when the pause starts and ends, so you can keep track yourself of when the charges will start again. Further general answers about vouchers, discount codes and running contracts are also collected on our frequently asked questions page.

Limits: not every service offers a pause

Many subscriptions only offer cancellation as a way out, without a separate pause feature. In that case, your only option is to cancel completely, with the risk that signing up again later will come with different terms. A look at the account settings or the help centre of the service in question usually shows quickly whether a pause is available at all, before you decide between the two routes.

Some providers instead only offer a reduced version of the subscription, for example with fewer features at a lower price, without suspending use completely. That is not a real pause in the strict sense, but in everyday life it can serve the same purpose if the full range of features does not matter to you for a while anyway. Whether such a reduced tier exists is usually shown next to the actual cancellation option in the account settings.

Pause or cancellation: which is better for whom

If you want to use the service again in the foreseeable future, a pause is usually the better option, as long as one is offered. If, on the other hand, it is clear that you will not need the service for an indefinite period or ever again, a regular cancellation is the clearer solution, not least because most providers do not allow a pause to continue indefinitely anyway. How to keep track of several running contracts in general, so that neither a pause nor a cancellation deadline passes unnoticed, is described in the article Keeping track of subscriptions: cancel in time instead of forgetting. Whether switching from a monthly to an annual subscription is worthwhile instead, once you are sure you will use the service for the long term, is explained in the article Annual or monthly subscription: the total cost.

Frequently asked questions

Does pausing a subscription cost extra?

With most services that offer a pause feature, it is free and exists precisely to suspend the charges for the chosen period. Details can be found in the terms of the provider in question.

How long can I usually pause a subscription?

Each provider decides this for itself; periods from a few weeks up to a few months are common. Some services let you extend the pause, others do not.

Does my subscription start again automatically after the pause?

Usually, yes. Once the chosen pause period is over, the charges normally start again automatically, without you having to sign up again.

Do I lose my old introductory price if I pause?

That depends on the provider. Some services keep your previous rate after the pause, while others move the account to the regular price afterwards. Checking the terms before you pause gives you clarity here.